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Sri Lanka

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Student depicted in front of a Buddhist template in Sri Lanka.Student depicted in front of a Buddhist template in Sri Lanka.

A unique way to experience South Asia

Experience new on repeat in this small island nation.

Off the coast of India, Sri Lanka is known for biodiversity — and a diverse population that includes Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus as well as Muslims and Christians.

Kandy — home of more than 1.5 million citizens and ringed by mountains and forest — is just the place to sink into new rhythms. With gold-roofed Buddhist temples and Catholic churches, silk saris and cricket contests, the city’s complex culture was formed over thousands of years as an independent kingdom, colonial conquest, and now independent nation.

Dig into sustainable tourism, religious traditions, conflict resolution, and much more. With homestays and even directed research on anything from women’s rights to renewable energy, you’re sure to make strong connections to the people here.

Did You Know?

  • The ten-day Esala Perahera festival — complete with fire-breathers, grandly decorated elephants, and jugglers — honors a sacred Buddha tooth relic, kept in a Kandy temple.
  • With grasslands and cloud forest, Horton Plains National Park is a bio diversity hotspot, home to a huge range of plants and animals — and a 4,000 foot cliff called World’s End.
  • Tea is an important part of Sri Lanka’s economy, providing work for 1 million+ people.

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